American Institute For Southeast European Studies

Welcome to the American Institute for Southeast European Studies (AISEES).

Incorporated in 2016, AISEES is an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting scholarly contacts and cultural exchanges between North America and southeastern Europe.  AISEES was developed to promote greater knowledge of southeastern Europe and encourage research in all aspects of humanities and social sciences related to the countries in this region, including: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia.

AISEES offers fellowships for North American scholars to conduct research and study in southeastern Europe and grant opportunities for southeastern European scholars to come to the US in order to participate in conferences.  These are described under Fellowships and Grants.

To learn more about AISEES, please contact us at AISEESorg@gmail.com

MISSION

The American Institute for Southeast European Studies (AISEES) is dedicated to supporting and promoting academic research in the Humanities and Social Sciences in southeastern Europe conducted by southeast European and American scholars. The eleven countries served by AISEES are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia.

VISION

AISEES enhances the research projects of southeast European and American scholars through fellowships and travel grants. We provide a welcoming and inclusive forum for discussion through our program of lectures.

VALUE

In support of our Mission, AISEES:

– supports and promotes scholarship in the Humanities and Social Sciences, including anthropology, archaeology, art history, communications, economics, epigraphy, ethnography, folklore, history, languages & linguistics, music, philology, and political science from prehistory through the modern age.

– offers fellowships to American and southeast European scholars and travel grants to SE European scholars.

– provides an open and inclusive forum for the discussion of historical and contemporary subjects related to the scope of our mission.

– fosters collaboration between southeast European and American scholars.

The headquarters of AISEES is in the USA.

We do not have physical facilities overseas; however, we have established partnerships with nonprofits in Bulgaria and Romania whose administrators provide logistical and academic support to AISEES Fellows and Members working in those countries. In the future we will establish partnerships in other countries we serve.

AISEES is in close communication with academic institutions in southeastern Europe which enables scholars and students to avail themselves more fully of the possibilities for comparative and transnational study within the larger region.  In addition, AISEES is in contact with nearby American Overseas Research Centers and American institutions dedicated to the humanities and social sciences, thus taking advantage of a vast scholarly network and assisting scholars to link the region’s developments to the wider world.

AISEES is governed by a Board of Trustees who are volunteers with varied experiences and interests in southeastern Europe.

AISEES Fellowships and Travel Grants

AISEES offers fellowships and travel grants designed to promote research by North American scholars in southeastern Europe and support scholars in southeastern Europe who wish to attend professional conferences of international importance. 

Each year (Feb. 15 deadline), AISEES awards three fellowships of $3000 to graduate students and early postdocs (up to 5 years after PhD) affiliated with an institution in the USA for research in the Humanities and Social Sciences that requires travel to one or more of the countries of southeastern Europe. 

Each year (Feb. 15 deadline), AISEES awards three travel grants of up to $2500 to southeast European scholars affiliated with an institution in their home country who wiil present a paper or will organize a session at a recognized scholarly meeting or conference of international importance related to topics in the Humanities or Social Sciences.

The annual Lynn Roller Research Fellowship for Senior US and Southeast European Faculty and Scholars (December 15 deadline) offers one $5000 fellowship to a scholar based in the USA and one $3000 fellowship to a scholar based in SE Europe (both at least 5 years beyond their PhD). Their research in one or more of the countries of southeastern Europe will be in the Humanities or Social Sciences

Pending funding, we offer grant of 1800 euro to an American undergraduate or graduate student who will participate on one of the archaeology or preservation projects of the Balkan Heritage Foundation.

Information about the fellowship and grants program and application forms:

Lynn Roller Research Fellowship for Senior Scholars in the USA and SE Europe
Applications Due | December 15, 2023
Learn more

Graduate Student/early Postdoc Fellowship
Applications Due | February 15, 2024 (extended to Feb. 29)
Learn more

Travel Grant for SE European Scholars
Applications Due | February 15, 2024 (extended to Feb. 29)
Learn more

AISEES Summer Scholarship with Balkan Heritage Foundation
Applications Due | pending funding
Learn more